The 14th annual Santa Parade presented by the North Hudson fire officers and firefighters of the North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue, in conjunction with the towns of Guttenberg, North Bergen, Union City, West New York, and Weehawken, will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 11, starting at 7 p.m.

The parade route is Bergenline Avenue, from 85th to 32nd streets.

Social service group seeking food and clothing donations

The Garden State Episcopal CDC is seeking the public’s help in terms of food and clothing donations.

Garden State Episcopal CDC, based in Jersey City and Union City, provides social services and housing for people touched by homelessness and loss.

The group is also collecting food and clothing donations for its Homeless Memorial Service, the week of Dec. 21, to be distributed to people who are displaced or homeless.

For more information on how you can help, call (201) 209-9301.

Many classes at Palisade for new parents; and free weekly infant care group

Palisades Medical Center on River Road in North Bergen is running several maternity classes. They include child birth classes, newborn baby classes, CPR classes, a sibling preparation program/pizza party, breastfeeding classes, and a free “Mommy and Baby Care Group.”

For the care group, no registration is required and the group meets every Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. New mothers with babies ages 2 to 16 weeks can get information and support in this group. Discussions include caring for baby, understanding changes in mother’s body, and powerful hormones during the postpartum period. The Mommy and Baby Care Group is led by a board-certified lactation consultant offering breastfeeding support.

For more information, call (201) 854-5000 or visit www.palisadesmedical.org.

Free seminar on surgical options for weight loss at hospital

A free community health seminar on weight loss surgical options will be held on Thursday, Dec. 5 at Palisades Medical Center, 7600 River Rd., North Bergen. Registration is 6:30 p.m., with the program beginning at 7. The seminar will be presented in both English and Spanish.

More than 60 percent of the U.S. population is overweight and about 30 percent is classified as being obese.

“Today, there are many bariatric (weight loss) surgical options for people who have been unable to achieve significant weight loss through diet and exercise,” said hospital spokesman Gary Mignone. “There is hope for a longer, healthier life.”

The event speaker will be Stefanie Vaimakis, MD, FACS, a board-certified general surgeon, fellowship-trained in advanced laparoscopy and bariatric surgery. Dr. Vaimakis has achieved expertise in laparoscopic gastric bypass as well as the “lap band,” with more than 600 procedures performed.

Parking is free. There will be free transportation available from 60th Street and Bergenline Avenue starting at 5:30 p.m.

Additionally, free food and refreshments will be provided.

For more information, or to register, call Nikki Mederos at (201) 854-5702.

Volunteers wanted for Hudson Medical Reserve Corps

If you would like to volunteer during public health emergencies and natural disasters in Hudson County or elsewhere, the Hudson Regional Health Commission (HRHC) Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is looking for you.

MRC units are made up of locally based volunteers (with or without a medical background). They include medical and public health professionals such as physicians, nurses, pharmacists, mental health professionals, dentists, veterinarians, and epidemiologists. Other community members, such as interpreters, chaplains, office workers, and legal advisers, fill vital support positions.

Volunteers give a minimal amount of time and have the choice to respond locally only or to be deployed outside the county. MRC volunteers were an important part of the Superstorm Sandy response. They gave more than 450 hours, helping at shelters and acting as translators.

Volunteers participate in various trainings and drills throughout the year, enhancing their preparedness skills, and heightening their ability to respond to many different types of events.

Hudson County’s Emergency Management, police, fire, EMS, and public health professionals are working hard to identify, train for, and respond to emergencies that could impact those who live and work here, but more help is needed.

For more information, visit the HRHC website at www.hudsonregional.org and click on “Medical Reserve Corps” on the menu bar on the left. Interested individuals can also call Monique Davis, Hudson County MRC coordinator, or Christina Butieb-Bianco, assistant MRC coordinator, at (201) 223-1133 or email mrc@hudsonregionalhealth.org.